Not that I ever complained.
Until the Marin County Board of Supervisors stepped over the line.
The events occurred something like this: Our super secret spy organizations somehow missed a years-long plan for terrorists to fly planes the size of apartment buildings into the World Trade Center. Soon after, the Patriot Act came into being. This is a very scary idea, we give up liberties to ensure our freedom. I never was a big fan.
However, fan or not, I kept my opinion to myself.
The Marin County Board of Supervisors took a break from their meeting on prioritizing pothole repairs to declare that the people of Marin County were against the Patriot Act. What caught my attention on this issue was that no one asked me what I thought. They just got together, the 5 or 6 of them, and made this declaration on their own.
I sent them a letter stating that they should amend their statement to say, "We, the 5 or 6 of us on the Board of Supervisors, are against the Patriot Act. We don't know or care what anyone else in the county thinks but if you want to know what Jim Dillingham thinks, you should ask him."
I don't think they debated my recommendation for long.
I took some satisfaction in this entire process. Nothing changed but I felt better having had my say.
I then went back into my "trust all elected officials" mode where I stayed until the truth about Iraq surfaced.
I watched as our elected officials picked an action and then sought justification later. Sort of like that saying, "It's easier to do it and ask for forgiveness later than to ask for permission first and not get your way."
I watched as we were lied to and then I watched as they waited for us to forget the lie. I watch as the GOP votes "no" on everything. I watch as the offshore oil well owners, developers, renters and operators blame everyone but themselves. I watch as Tea Partiers want lower taxes and better public schools. I watch as Glenn Beck decries socialization and then drives home on a public highway. I watch as the ex-CEO of EBay tries to buy the governorship of California. I watch as we naturalize terrorists and build fences instead of schools.
And I watch you.
Funny thing here. I think I am a moderate -middle of the road kind of guy. In a heavy wind, I might lean to the left or right but never for long. I live in the middle where most of us live. Most of us, possibly not you, want better schools and understand that taxes pay for them. Most of us want to end drug violence and most of us don't think a billion dollar monument to fence building will accomplish much. Most of us want honest politicians.
You know what I think? I think we are all watching and thinking the same thing. We are disgusted and don't have a clue as to how to change things. I think we are all basically good people but represented by people we wouldn't want our kids to grow up to be like.
So I watch, I vote, and I write.
Writing is just a little thing. But it makes me feel better and in the end, that is enough.
Http://www.worldgratitudelist.com Leave a list. Read a list. Be happy.
j
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